Event Planning

GuideSeminar, Conference, Workshop, Training

Part 1 – Starting points

Foreword

This eBook was devised to help small to medium businesses when planning your own

event, particularly Seminars, Conferences, Workshops and Training but the basis can be

applied to any event.

Enjoy.

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1. Who are you trying to target and in what numbers?

The very first thought, which you will most likely have in mind already - is who you actually

want to invite to the event?

Could it be:

• Existing customers

• Prospects

• Leads

• Top 10 customers

• Bottom 20 customers3

2. What are you trying to achieve?

This is the most important question to ask yourself, before you begin to plan the actual

event itself. First you need to understand what it is you are expecting to gain from

organising and hosting an event?

So set yourself objectives, these could be:-

• To sign up three new customers?

• For account managers to each meet their top three prospects?

• To secure five follow up meetings about the new service you discussed at the event?

• To increase take-up of a particular service through targeted customers?

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3. What do you have to say?

The content delivered during your event has a huge impact:

• It attracts an audience

• Your content can make you stand out from the competition

• It can leave a lasting impression about how people view your business – good or bad

• Content can steer your audience into making decisions which support your objectives

Ensure you are hosting your event for a reason, and that you have something to say

otherwise perhaps consider an alternative marketing tactic?

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4. Now choose an event format

This should be quite a natural choice, now that you know your audience, objectives and

content you can choose the best way to deliver those.

For this eBook in-particular we are focusing on

Seminars & Conferences: These are both similar in set up as in they offer various

presentations with various speakers throughout the day.

Workshops: These events can entail some presentations however they are more focused

around hands-on or group activity.

Training: Again including presentations but specialist staff delivering educational content

to a specific audience (staff, sales, technical etc.)

You can of course come up with your very own format, this is just a guide.6

5. Set an initial budget

Now you have the fundamental elements decided which are your:• Objectives• Audience • Content • Format

You can gauge how much it will cost you to host. Bear in mind:

• Past events you have organised

• Your annual marketing budget if you have one

• Perceived value of the objectives you have set

Once you start looking into the suppliers your budget may rise or fall, but it helps to have an initial budget in mind at the outset. 7

These five preparation steps will help focus your mind and consider the various elements to

help your event come together easily. These steps will also ensure all involved are clear

and are able to work towards a common goal.

Next I will look at the actual planning process, what suppliers you may need, in what order

and some tips and key questions to ask.

Thank you for reading, I hope you found this useful.

Lindsey Fish

Part two coming soon: Planning your event

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Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you wish to discuss your

event with no obligation at all.

Lindsey@littlefishevents.com

Tel: 01923 255923

Mobile: 07950 158379

T: LittleFishHerts

www.littlefishevents.com